Wired 12.06: The Wired 40

Wired 12.06: The Wired 40: "
21. InterActiveCorp
LITTLE SHOP OF DILLER'S
Last year: 29
By adding dotcom survivors like Expedia and Match.com to core holdings like Ticketmaster and Home Shopping Network, Barry Diller turned InterActiveCorp (formerly USA Interactive) into a mosaic of consumer indulgences. Diller is strong where Amazon isn't: travel, events, dating, and real estate. That makes a solid foundation for a growing ecommerce empire.
Done: Hotels.com, Hotwire.com, and Lending Tree are the newest gems in Diller's collection.
To do: The quickest way to profits is the shortest path to sales. InterActiveCorp needs to put one-click shopping on TV."

23. WPP Group
ADDING IT UP
Last year: 33
CEO Martin Sorrell wants you to take things personally. He's pushing for personalized marketing - mobile, interactive, and direct - instead of traditional ads, which are about as personal as a hug from Dick Cheney. But Sorrell knows that each of the 102 countries where advertising behemoth WPP operates needs to be spoken to in its own special way. The world may soon be hanging on WPP's every word.
Done: The purchase of British agency Cordiant Communications gave WPP a firm foothold in Asia.
To do: Tomorrow's corporate giants in China, India, and Mexico need a global voice today.

34. Ryanair
WING COMMANDER
Last year: 30
In eight years, Dublin-based Ryanair has built a no-frills airline that shuttles 22 million skinflints a year to more than 75 European cities, buffeting the Continent's complacent airline industry. The company keeps costs low by focusing on second-string airports and selling tickets on the Web, completing 95 percent of sales online. Ryanair is now the Internet's favorite way to fly.
Done: No reclining seats. No head rests. No window blinds. Ryanair's cost-cutting has been ruthless.
To do: The carrier has a golden opportunity to extend the budget-airline business to developing countries with a growing middle class.